Fluid dispensing apparatus and observing means therefor



pril 19, 1938. H. L. BRAND FLUID DISPENSING APPARATUS AND OBSEIRVING MEANS THEREFOR Filed Feb. 2l, 1954 Patented Apr. 19, 1938 PATENT OFFICE FLUID `DISPENSING APPARATUS AND OBSERVING MEANS THEREFOR Horace L. Brand, Chicago, Ill.

Application February 21, 1934, Serial No. 712,403

10 Claims.

This invention relates to Huid dispensing apparatus and to means for observing the opera-U tion thereof, and theinvention finds particular utility in connection with the dispensing of more or less popular draught beverages, such, for example, as beer and the like, wherein it is desired that a customer ordering beer, or the like, on draught bearing a certain kind or under a certain name may besure that the beer ordered is being extracted from a container bearing the trade name or brand which he desires.

In the customary installation of draught apparatus for beverages such as beer, the tap or dispensing outlet is located at a so-called bar and may be one of a plurality of similar taps or outlets so located. These taps are connected by tubes to kegs or barrels located below the floor on which the bar is mounted, and are, of course, hidden from the view of the customer.

When a customer orders a certain brand of beer or similar beverage on draught, he ordinarily cannot be sure that the beverage which he is ordering is actually of the kind or nature which he desires.

In the customary installation of barrels or kegs containing beer, an indicator s placed on each keg which shows when the contents thereof are being withdrawn. However, this indicator is located at the barrel or keg, and is ordinarily hidden from the view of the customer.

The principal objects of this invention reside in the provision of an improved means for rendering visible from the point of dispensing the keg or barrel or other container for a beverage where such keg or container is located remote and not visible from the point of dispensing; the provision of an improved optical system whereby a customer ordering a particular brand of a beverage, such as beer or the like, may observe O the container from which the beverage is withdrawn so that he may be sure that the beverage which he receives is dispensed from a container bearing the trade-mark or other identifying indicia which he requests.

The presentv invention is capable of installation without great expense in soda fountains, saloons, bar rooms and the like, and this installation may be accomplished Without material alteration in the existing structures.

The foregoing and such other objects and advantages as may appear or be pointed out as this description proceeds are attained in the structural embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing,'in which:

Figure 1 isa vertical sectional view of a standard dispensing apparatus having the present invention installed in combination therewith;

Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of an alternative form of the invention.

Referring more particularly to Figiue l, there 5` is illustrated vthe floor of a building, or the like, at 5, beneath which is located a basement having one of a' series of containers 6 for various beverages, which may be one of a series containing beer of different brands.

Above the flooring 5 is a counter or bar 1 of 1 a conventional form upc-n which is located a dis-v pensing faucet 8 which is one of a series con'- nected in each instance to one of the containers 6 located in the basement of the building.

In Figure 2 the containers are designated as brands A, B, C and D.

The dispensing faucet may be connected through the usual cooling coil 9 etc. to the outlet or so-called pump I0 which is provided'with a tube II inserted into the bung hole of the barrel or keg 6. ,There is an indicator I2 of conventional form located at each of the containers, and this indicator renders visible the action of the fluid contained in the containers when the fluid is being extracted therefrom. From the foregoing it will be observed that the containers are ordinarily invisible from the front of the counter or bar l, and in order to render the containers visible to a customer who desires to observe the same, I provide an optical system comprising a vertical tube I3 having a mirror I4 located at the upper end thereof and provided with a sight opening I5 available from the front of the bar or counter.

The tube I3 extends below the flooring 5 to a convenient point adjacent thereto and is provided with a reflecting mirror I6 arranged at substantially a 45 angle with its mirrored face presented to the right, as viewed in Figure 1 of l the drawing.

Above the container 6 and in such position as to receive and transmit reflections from the mirror I6 I provide a second mirror Il disposed at a 45 angle or adjustable to be arranged .at any 45 convenient angle which will bring to the eye of the observer a view of the container located below said mirror.

One end of the container usually has the indicia, showing who the maker of' the contents thereof is, and this end is presented upwardly. Suitable illuminating means, such as incandescent lamp I8, may be located adjacent to the mirror and provided with a reiiector I9 which Will concentrate the light upon the top 20 of the container and also upon the flow indicator I2.

It Will be observed that one looking into the opening I5 from the point, Say at 2l, will have brought to his View the top of the container 6 along the optical axes 22, 23 and 24.

If the customer orders a certain brand of beer or other beverage of a similar nature, the attendant will indicate to the customer that he may observe that the desired brand is being served, and by looking into the sight opening I5, the observer, when the tap 8 is opened, will note that the indicator I2 shows fluid to be flowing from that particular container.

Inasmuch as the container has a trade-mark or other indicia on it indicating the origin of the goods, the customer may also observe that he is obtaining the goods asked for.

It will be understood that, for convenience, the upper portion I3a of tube I3 may be vertically adjusted by a rack bar 25 and pinion 26 operable by a handle 26a, if desired, from the front of-the bar. In this manner the portion I 3a of the tube may be normally lowered substantially level with the surface of the bar so as not to obstruct the upper surface thereof. It will be observed that, by an elevation of the tube to the desired height, the customer will then be able to observe the operation of the indicator I2 and the trade name as hereinbefore pointed out.

It will be understood that in the form of the invention shown in Figure 1, a separate viewing tube for each barrel, located in the basement, may be provided, these being arranged at spaced intervals along the bar or counter or arranged all atv one end of the counter or bar, depending on the location of the containers in the basement.

In the alternative form of the invention shown in Figure 2 a single viewing or observation tube 28 is shown, which may be arranged for rotation on its vertical axis 29 so that the light opening 30 and mirror 3l may be adjusted through an azimuth.

The lower mirror 3I, located below the floor, may thus be focused on the plurality of mirrors 32, 33, 34 and 35 arranged at the proper angles above the containers A, B, C and D, respectively. Thus in this manner a single observing tube may be employed, and the user may rotate the tube with the handle 3S until he views the container containing the trade-mark or brand of the goods with which he desires to be served and may observe that the goods are being withdrawn from this particular container.

In this form of the invention the containers may all be arranged in a single straight line, and the mirrors located adjacent to each container are disposed so that they will present a reflection into the lower mirror of the observing tube, depending on the position of that tube.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the rotatable adjustable tube may, if desired, be arranged for vertical displacement in the counter or bar similarly to the tube shown in Figure 1 so that the observing tube may be disposed out of the way when desired.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination a fluid container, a means for removing fluid from said container remote from said container, means on said container for indicating when fluid is being removed and means whereby the container and saidindicating means are visible at the remote point of removal of such fluid.

2. In combination with a fluid dispensing outlet and a source of fluid supply remote and normally concealed from view at said outlet but connected thereto, and having means at said source for indicating the discharge of fluid therefrom, of means for rendering said indicator visible from said outlet.

3. In combination with a fluid dispensing outlet and a source of fluid supply remote and normally concealed from view at said outlet but connected thereto, and having means at said source for indicating the discharge of fluid therefrom, of means including an optically alined series of reflectors for rendering said indicator visible from said outlet.

4. In combination with a fluid dispensing outlet connected to but concealed from a container forming a source of iluid, said container having an exposed identifying indicia and a flow indicator, and means for observing said container and its indicia and flow indicator from the 1ocality of said dispensing outlet.

5. In combination with a plurality of fluid dispensing outlets connected each to independent containers concealed from the location of said outlets, said containers having distinctive independent identifying indicia and flow indicators, and means for observing said containers and their respective indicia and flow indicators from, the locality of said outlets.

6. In combination with a plurality of fluid dispensing outlets connected each to independent containers concealed from the location of said outlets, said containersV having distinctive independent identifying indicia and flow indicators, and means for observing said containers and their respective indicia and flow indicators from the locality of said outlets, said observing means including a series of reflecting mirrors located at the containers, and means for receiving and transmitting a reflection from said mirrors to an observers eye at said outlets.

7. In combination with a plurality of fluid dispensing outlets connected each to independent containers concealed from the location of said outlets, said containers having distinctive independent identifying indicia and flow indicators, and means for observing said containers and their respective indicia and flow indicators from the locality of said outlets, said observing means including a series of reflecting mirrors located at the containers, and means adjustable to focus for receiving and transmitting a reflection from said mirrors to an observers eye at said outlets.

8. In combination with a plurality of fluid dispensing outlets connected each to independent containers concealed from the location of said outlets, said containers having distinctive independent identifying indicia and flow indicators, and means for observing said containers and their respective indicia and flow indicators from the locality of said outlets, said observing means including a series of reflecting mirrors located at the containers, and means adjustable through an azimuth for receiving and transmitting a reflection from said mirrors to an observers eye at said outlets.

9. In combination with a iluid dispensing outlet and a source of iluid supply remote and normally concealed from view at said outlet but connected thereto, .of means including a reflector optically alined with said source of fluid, and an adjustable viewing member at said outlet adapted to be brought into optical alinement with said reflector for rendering visible said source of supply from the locality of said outlet.

10. In combination With a iluid dispensing outlet and a source of uid supply remote and normally concealed from View at said outlet but connected thereto, of means including a reflector optically alined with said source of Huid, and a vertically adjustable viewing member at said outlet adapted to be brought into optical alinement with said reflector for rendering visible said source of supply from the locality of said outlet.

HORACE L. BRAND. 

